Narcissus
by pandorasv13
Summary: Sequel to Perennial. Modern Fantasy AU. In the end, if she had never looked into their degenerating eyes, then Orochimaru never would've conceived of bringing his mad ramblings into reality. She had been the catalyst. Everything began with her.
1. Run

**Sequel to Perennial ( link: s/11016600/1/Perennial)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

 _Kyoto, Japan_

A young group of academy students huddled around in the cafeteria. Their training uniforms were tattered and dirtied, but none of them cared, exhaustion taking precedence. Steaming bowls of food sat in front of each one, courtesy of the police academy. They exchanged wary looks before shooting glances over their respective shoulders.

It would be bad if anyone overheard them. As if in warning, the banner baring the Uchiha crest rippled in the windless room. Swallowing thickly, Konohamaru fidgeted with sleeves before hushing his voice and quickly hissing, "Did you guys see it?"

His two friends nodded hesitantly. "Don't you think it's a little too crazy though?" Moegi remarked, twiddling her thumbs uncomfortably.

"Yeah, don't you think so?" Udon added, eyes darting back and forth.

Konohamaru sighed, knowing full well that they shouldn't even be talking about this. The walls have ears, especially in the prestigious Uchiha Police Academy. It wasn't a place where secrets lasted very long – at least, among trainees. Everyone knew things were never as they seemed inside the reserves of this place. The trio had unfortunately found that out first hand.

It was perfectly innocent. They hadn't meant to stumble upon those archives. Who would've thought that teeny tiny closet was even an archive? Officer Ebisu had been riding their asses all morning and afternoon – they just wanted a little break. Was that so bad? Konohamaru blinked away images of the documents strewn across the small work table. Shaking away the thoughts, he sank lower into his chair, slowly losing his appetite. "Guys, I think we need to forget what we saw."

Moegi and Udon nodded in unison, clearly relieved that their appointed leader was thinking rationally. Lowly trainees had no place learning about the secrets of the Uchiha, especially when it had to do with _him._

A small, bitter smirk crossed Konohamaru's lips at the memory of asking Sergeant Uzumaki about the disappearance of the Uchiha brothers. It was national news. Who _wouldn't_ have heard about the prodigal Uchiha Itachi and his rising star of a little brother – Uchiha Sasuke? However, the second the insensitive question left his mouth, Sergeant Uzumaki told him if he ever discussed that incident casually again, he would make sure Konohamaru was dropped from the academy. That was enough to shut his mouth.

"Let's just eat, shower, and get to bed. Ebisu is going to give us hell tomorrow for ditching him today," Moegi broke the silence, pulling her dinner closer and digging in.

Konohamaru paused for another moment before following her lead. She was right. They needed to forget about what happened and just focus on tomorrow. After all, their final exams were approaching and this was not the time to be slacking off or getting on anyone's bad side. They had a lot of making up to do tomorrow.

 _But…_ He lowered his gaze.

XXX

"Should we reprimand them?" Kakashi mused, watching the security feed of Konohamaru's little trio stumbling ass backwards into their "headquarters". Or at least, that's what Kakashi and Naruto called it. In reality, it was a broom closet that had been renovated into a research outlet.

A soft sigh blew past the blonde's lips. He rubbed his face tiredly, bright blue eyes dull. "Just leave them be. They're probably scared out of their minds for even finding this place," Naruto managed a small chuckle, shutting off the video feed. "Besides, it was my fault for carelessly leaving the door unlocked. I didn't think a quick trip to the toilet would be so dangerous."

"Lessons learned, hmm?" Kakashi mused, flipping through a manila envelope with photos. "So what do you think of these? We've sighted Sasuke look-a-likes all around the world, but every lead has been a dead end."

"I'm not even sure anymore," Naruto admitted, standing up to look at the ridiculously elaborate map that had grown with each new sighting and fact. It was spider web of red thread juxtaposed by small photos. "Honestly, with the way Orochimaru operates, I wouldn't be surprised if every single one of these was a set up." The mere thought made his blood boil with humiliation and frustration, but after two years of searching for his best friend, he had learned how to control that anger.

Boxes filled with research, articles, and failed retrieval plans were stacked ceiling-high. Each mistake was another lost opportunity that seared like fire. He watched that vision each night in his dreams. Sasuke standing over him. Itachi already out of sight.

 _I'm not the one who should be taking care of her, you idiot._ Naruto clenched his fists, trying to focus on the latest information Kakashi's spies had sent them. Of all the leads they had accumulated, this one seemed somewhat promising. There were no pictures, but a detailed report of Orochimaru's underlings landing in Japan via private jet meant something was happening. The random sightings worldwide couldn't be followed up as easily, but now they were working on home turf.

Why were they back in Japan? The report gave no information about seeing either Uchiha, however, that made the lead seem even more legitimate. If they knew Orochimaru, and they certainly did, he wouldn't just let Sasuke or Itachi appear in the public eye. There was something here. The only problem was that Kakashi's spies had yet to report in again.

Naruto's phone vibrated loudly in the silence. Jumping, he sheepishly smiled at Kakashi who merely waved him out of the room. Hurrying out, he shut the door behind him and answered. "Sakura-chan, what's up?"

"I just finished my shift at the hospital. Do you have time to spar in a bit?"

He leaned back against the wall, eyes soft. "You sound tired. Why don't you go to bed instead? I'm probably going to be out for a while anyway."

"I have so much pent up stress to work out though!" she whined.

Naruto laughed nervously. That was never a good thing to hear. She was a lot stronger than anyone gave her credit for. Most of the time, people thought he got bruises after their sparring sessions because he went easy on her. How could he admit that a girl half his size beat the crap out of him? "I left you a note actually! I'm taking Hinata out on a date tonight, so I think you really should get some rest instead."

It was only a partial lie. He _had_ taken Hinata out to eat a late lunch earlier. He internally apologized to his girlfriend for using her as an excuse. If Sakura knew he was hunting Sasuke down like a dog, she would want to be part of it. Even if she was stronger than before, he wouldn't put her in danger.

"Oh, why didn't you say that from the start?" she huffed, "Alright, have fun! Treat her right, okay? No ramen, and definitely no stupid, perverted jokes! She's the heiress to the Hyuuga Clan and Neji would kick your ass if you laid a finger on her."

Naruto chuckled, swallowing hard at the thought. If anyone really could tear him to shreds, it would be Hyuuga Neji. "I know, I know! Don't worry! Okay, I'll talk to you later. Sleep, Sakura-chan!" He hung up after saying his goodbyes and sagged against the wall. His best friend could be a handful sometimes.

Turning around he entered the room just in time to see Kakashi's eyes wide, a phone in one hand.

XXX

Cherry blossoms littered the streets, the soft rustling of scattered petals and shuffling feet filling the quite night. There were few roamers at this hour, most already tucked safely into bed or in the arms of loved ones. But some are used to the dead of night – even finding comfort in the silence.

One such person strolled through the park on her way home, breathing in the sweet fragrance of her namesake, and drawing dreams through the blanket of night sky. Her shoulder bag was filled with documents, and spare clothes from too many shifts at the hospital. Her stride was more powerful than years ago, as was the confidence with which she guided herself through the darkness.

The soft tinkle of a fan-shaped charm hanging diligently on her ring of keys often times brushed against the pink flower charm she was safe-keeping. Unlocking the door to her modest apartment, she found the note her roommate had told her about just a few minutes ago. It sat on the kitchen table.

 _Hey, Sakura-chan,_

 _Took Hinata on a date!_

 _Wish me luck! Be back tonight (but maybe not?)_

 _Love, Naruto_

She rolled her eyes, knowing the idiotic blonde would be home later. Hinata definitely wouldn't let him stay the night. Setting the note aside, she dropped her things in the living room. With a deep yawn, she made the executive decision that a shower could wait until the morning.

Pushing the door of her bedroom open, a gust of wind rushed around her, the slithering sensation constricting. Her body tensed immediately.

Bright red irises gleamed in the darkness.

"Run."


	2. Reunions and Revelations

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

Without hesitation, Sakura whipped the closest object to her—which happened to be a small jewelry box—at the intruder. It struck the opposing wall with a crack, the stranger having evaded and made their way out of the shadows with both hands in the air.

Her heart leapt to her throat, lips trembling.

"It's good to see you're healthy, Sakura."

"…Itachi?"

He cautiously approached her, still keeping his hands up in surrender. His red irises glowed unnervingly, while pitch black pupils seemed colder than ever before. Sakura surveyed the rest of his appearance, noting the frayed black garments he wore and the sunken angles of his face. The joints of his slender fingers were more prominent, seemingly brutalized.

"Where…," Sakura shook her head, running forward and barreling into him without thinking any further. He grunted softly, but did not immediately push her away. Two hesitant arms curled around her shoulders as if unsure how to respond to the display of affection. "I'm so glad you're alive," she whispered, tears trickling down to wet his shirt. Where her arms wound around his waist, Sakura could feel the jutting of his ribs and the sallowness of his abdomen. Wherever he had been, it was nowhere good.

"Ah." Itachi carefully pulled away, wariness evident in his gaze. He searched her expression for a moment before peering out the open window. "We do not have much time left. We must move quickly."

Sakura nodded firmly and wiped away her tears quickly. Walking over to her closet, she tugged a black satchel from the floor. "I'm ready." She turned around to see Itachi watching her curiously. "What is it?" she shrugged the bag on.

He shook his head softly. "You have grown." He smiled sadly. "I apologize for the reason why."

Her expression turned grim. "It's not as if danger was ever far off. Everyone has been biding their time. Training. Preparing for the worst. I'm no different." Sakura's gaze hardened. "I trust you, Itachi, that's why I'm following you without question. However, the second we're secure, I need those questions answered."

Itachi nodded. That was the last of their conversation before a shadow flitted past the open window and Itachi was shoving Sakura to the ground and covering her body with his. Overhead, glinting darts embedded themselves into the wall opposite the window. Clambering to their feet, Sakura led the way to the kitchen where the only other window was located. Kicking the screen out, Itachi gripped the upper rim of the window and swung himself out.

Although she was chosen the escape route, jumping out of a second story window wasn't exactly part of standard training for Sakura. She peered down, but couldn't make out anything. Itachi did not speak, but she had to hope that he would be ready to catch her. Swallowing hard, she climbed over the edge of the window just as the sound of shuffling feet reached her kitchen. Swallowing a shout, she leapt, eyes squeezing shut as her stomach swooped.

The freefall ended in the blink of an eye. Itachi's blood red eyes peered down at her—the only things she could see in the darkness. Sakura caught her breath, smiling slightly at his successful catch. Then again, with the appearance of his current eyes, she had a strong hunch that they were far better seeing than ever before.

She muttered a soft thanks before they were sprinting around the back of the apartment building, taking the fastest route to the main road. Sakura could barely see in front of her, but the road was so familiar that she probably could traverse it blind. The thought crossed her mind too soon though, her ankle catching on a drain pipe. Squeaking, Sakura stumbled forward, only to feel Itachi's calloused hand curl around her wrist, steadying her before she ever really fell.

The questions were growing increasingly complex as she observed more and more of his behaviors. His reflexes had always been something to behold, however, the current Itachi was inhuman. Although he was clearly malnourished, the strength in his body was like a coiled, metal spring. Sakura had little doubt that he was in tip top form—which was terrifying because what did that mean for him once he was back to full physical health? Would he be walking on water and scaling buildings like they were horizontal sidewalks?

"Stop."

Sakura skidded to a halt, looking up to find that they had emerged onto a busy street. Itachi leaned back against a brightly lit window display, still tightly holding onto Sakura's wrist. His eyes were trained on the alleyway they had just passed out of, the veins in his neck throbbing tensely. After a moment, he relaxed, releasing her wrist in the same breath.

"Are they gone?" she murmured, afraid to move until she got the affirmative.

He nodded.

Sakura checked the nearest street sign before touching Itachi's shoulder to get his attention. "From here, we can take the main road to the hospital I work at. The ER is always full of people, and there we can make a plan. I'm sure you're interested in getting to Naruto and Kakashi as well?"

Itachi merely grunted his assent and then they were blending themselves into the crowd. There were enough people out on the street for cover, but not nearly enough to be unseen. Without a doubt, their pursuers were hot on their tail and would be until they arrived at their destination. Nonetheless, making a commotion in an emergency room would be far from ideal—particularly because of the hospital's close affiliation with the Uchiha Police Academy. Tsunade had made a point of partnering the new medical center with the police force, and Sakura had never been happier.

If they could just get to the ER, then everything could be settled. Pulling out her phone, she was about to dial Naruto's number only to find that he had called her at least 5 times in the last ten minutes. How likely was it that he had also gotten a visitor?

Sakura put the phone to her ear after pressing Call. From her periphery, she noted Itachi's calculating gaze roaming their surroundings, undoubtedly seeking out all of the possible alternative escape routes. She smiled internally, relieved to have Itachi on their side again. "Naruto?" she immediately called once the line connected.

"Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed. "Hey, we got news that Orochimaru and his group are in Japan right now."

"—yeah, I kind of had a feeling," she responded wryly.

He made a strangled noise that crackled with the frequency of the phone. " _What?_ Did someone attack you? Are you alright? Where are you—?"

"—Meet me in the ER at my hospital. We'll be there soon."

Before he could ask, Sakura ended the call. Itachi stopped her with a hand on her shoulder and pushed her toward a crosswalk. "They're closing in," he murmured against her ear, picking up the pace as they half-jogged across waiting traffic.

Chancing a glance over her shoulder, Sakura caught sight of two suspicious looking individuals, but other than that, no one else set off alarm bells. Perhaps she still needed to work on her detection abilities. Naruto and Sasuke would probably be totally aware of what Itachi was trying to escape from. Turning back around, she saw the crosswalk light flicker to red without anyone having crossed along with them.

Releasing his hold on her, Itachi paused and nodded his head to the right. "This way?"

"Yeah," Sakura confirmed, taking the lead once more. "It's only a few more blocks."

He nodded, attempting to appear casual as they once again slipped into the throngs of people around them. There was no way he would let even a centimeter of tension leave his body, but Sakura understood well enough how severe the current situation was. It would only take one slip up for one of those goons to catch them. Sakura bit back the urge to demand how long he had been on the run. Although she had hundreds of questions about Sasuke, she was much more concerned with the man before her.

What had Itachi done to escape? How long had he been running? Why did he have to suffer relentlessly?

"It's just up ahead." Sakura pointed out the looming building just beyond a crosswalk at the end of the block. She didn't receive a response, but Itachi did walk faster, clasping their hands together as he did so. Surprised, Sakura looked up at him to see his expression had grown grim over the past few minutes. "Is…Is something else wrong?"

His eyes flickered down to her. "The area has thinned here. It is possible they make take the risk," Itachi explained softly, voice tense.

Just as he spoke, two figures emerged from a side alley, bodily stopping them in their tracks. Sakura first noted their blindfolds and then secondly the Tasers each one held out toward them. Before she could even drop into an offensive stance, Itachi was stepping between them while still tightly gripping her hand. "Pardon us," he excused calmly, waiting for either of the strangers to move.

They sneered and shifted forward. "We have our orders," the talller of the two grunted.

"And what are those?" Sakura demanded over Itachi's shoulder, glowering.

"To escort you to Orochimaru-sama, of course," the shorter leered, "what do you say, Princess? Don't you trust me anymore?"

Her eyes widened, stumbling forward, only to feel Itachi shove her back. Snapping out of it, Sakura glared at the shorter man, grinding her teeth to hold back frustrated tears. "Suigetsu? Suigetsu, what did they do?" her voice was small even to her own ears.

The man cocked his head, familiar shark-like smile appearing. "We can have our reunion if you come with us, Princess. I'll even bring you to Sauce-kun. You want that, don't you?"

Although the words were familiar, the tone and the character were utterly different. The Suigetsu before her was just a shade of the man she had met years ago. Guilt clawed at her gut. If she hadn't called him back to help her. If she hadn't been so obstinate about trying to help Sasuke and Itachi—an effort that was completely wasted—then would Suigetsu have been roaming the world freely right now? Instead, he was standing in front of her, blindfolded and a slave to Orochimaru. This was her fault. Dammit. This was all her fault—

"Sakura. Focus."

She blinked, not having realized how tightly she was squeezing Itachi's arm and hand. Letting up, she turned back to the two strangers before her. "Right."

"C'mon, Princess," Suigetsu extended a hand, but in a flash, Itachi was snatching his wrist, twisting and shoving forward until a sickening crack dislocated Suigetsu's arm. The man cried out, pushing away and gripping his mangled limb. "Jugo!"

His companion charged forward, Taser extended. Itachi engaged without missing a beat, moving and striking before Jugo could even get his bearings. Just from observing, Sakura could tell that his opponent wasn't a novice, however, the beating he was currently receiving was devastatingly swift and ruthless. It made Itachi look like a bully picking on a child. Her gaze shifted to Suigetsu, but the man was already gone.

Across the street, some stragglers looked on with interest, but from afar, it surely appeared to be a late night brawl and nothing more. Glancing over her shoulder, Sakura felt ice fill her veins. Several people were walking toward them and although seemingly innocent, there was no way she could miss their blindfolds. How dangerous were Itachi's eyes that everyone was hiding their own from his gaze? Sakura swallowed hard, turning around to face the newcomers as they grew closer and closer. How were they supposed to handle all of these people? Although she trusted Itachi unfailingly and his fighting ability, it would be a burden on someone in his condition—whether or not he would admit it.

Clenching her fists, she slid into a defensive stance as they approached. At the very least, she was confident enough to hold her own long enough to escape. Getting kidnapped was unacceptable. She refused to be the cause of any more misery. No.

Appearing like an afterimage between blinks, a darkly clothed figure emerged at the rear of the small group. His steps were longer but he trailed further behind them, a black muzzle buckled across the lower half of his face. An equally dark blindfold blended into the long ebony locks rustling about his features.

"Sa—"

"—SAKURA!"

With blinding fury, red and blue lights jolted her out of the moment. She swung around, seeing Naruto and Kakashi screeching to a halt at the curb in a patrol car. Whipping back to Itachi, she found Jugo beating a hasty retreat, dragging one leg clumsily. Doing another turn, she caught sight of a slip of fabric curling around the corner of an alley.

No one was left on the street.

"Itachi?" Naruto blinked, surprise outdoing his usual excited fervor.

Without a word, Itachi nudged Sakura toward the vehicle, already opening the backseat door for her. Climbing inside rigidly, she tried to calm her racing heart, unable to wish away the phantom image.

"Where to?" Kakashi called back.

"Is my office at the department still available?" Itachi questioned, not even short of breath. His gaze was focused and his demeanor alert—so unlike the three others in the car who were currently struggling to make ends meet with what was going on.

"I think your private office is still as is," Kakashi responded carefully.

"Then go there. It's the most secure place we will be able to get to right now."

Nodding once, they drove off, the blaring sirens still going off.


	3. Catalyst

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

* * *

Naruto worried his bottom lip, gazing across the room at one of his oldest friends. She sat in an armchair in the corner of the office, nursing a cup of tea as she listened to Itachi recount the chase. They had only arrived minutes ago, settling in before beginning what would be a long conversation. Although finding Itachi with Sakura had been the biggest shock in the last two years, Naruto had been more disappointed than anything.

Where was Sasuke? It was unbelievable that Itachi would leave behind his brother and escape. However, what else could've happened if he was hear by Sasuke was not?

Furthermore, Sakura had yet to speak, but her expression was almost, if not equally, guilt-ridden comparative to when Sasuke first disappeared. What had she seen?

 _Ugh. Why us?_ Naruto internalized a sigh, and crossed the room to get closer to Sakura. "Scoot over," he smiled at her, partly relieved and partly concerned when she wordlessly made room for him in the armchair. They were pressed thigh to thigh as Naruto wrapped an arm around her shoulders, squeezing her closer. "Hey, we're here," he whispered softly, gently patting the side of her head, "Don't close up on me, Sakura-chan."

She glanced up at him, expression shifting until her eyes filled with recognition and fondness. Punching him lightly in the chest, she mumbled, "I know, dummy. I'm here."

"All of us are in danger."

That caught their attention. Looking up at Itachi, the older man was sitting on the couch across from them, red eyes less intimidating under the warm lights of the office. Kakashi stopped fiddling with his book, noting the change in Itachi's voice.

"What happened tonight was merely a welcoming party," he spoke slowly and tonelessly as if he were the furthest removed from the situation. Meeting Sakura's eyes, he continued, "I am unsure why, but they desire to bring you in alive, Sakura. That is as much as I ascertained over the last few months since my escape. There are kill orders for Naruto and Kakashi," his gaze shifted to them, and then finally fell to the floor, "And I am also to be brought back alive."

"Why are they only moving now?" Naruto demanded. "You show up out of the blue and start calling the shots, but we have no idea what's been going on."

Itachi's shoulders seemed to tighten. The movement was too subtle though. In an instance, he was back to cool professionalism despite resembling a starving prisoner. "We have very little time to work out a plan of action, therefore I had hoped perhaps we could not delve into too much detail about the past two years. I will provide what is necessary to know, but other than that, I cannot spare any extra time."

Kakashi held up a hand when Naruto looked ready to protest. "He's right, Naruto. Just because we're in a protected facility, that doesn't mean we're home free. If you had forgotten, Orochimaru is still considered a world-renowned medical researcher, therefore he has as much public access and movement as Itachi. It wouldn't be hard to set up a face to face meeting, or for his team to slip into highly classified facilities—including the police department." Pausing, he saw Naruto's stubborn expression and sighed. "I'm not trying to defend Orochimaru. I'm merely stating the facts. He has leverage. If you had forgotten, he was able to slip his agents into paramedic uniforms and blend them seamlessly into the fabric of the rescue force two years ago. There's no telling who works for who and what their purpose is."

Itachi nodded. "Therefore, at best, we have a few days until we must vacate this area and devise a plan to destroy Orochimaru." He pressed his fingers together in though, gaze dropping to the ground once more. "Two years ago, I awoke in a surgical recovery room. Sasuke was beside me. His eyes were bandaged, but I could see perfectly for the first time in nearly a decade." Itachi pursed his lips. "I was informed that Orochimaru's team had successfully transplanted my eyes into Sasuke and vice versa. While developing the procedure, they had kept both of us in a comatose state for nearly six months."

The tea cup slipped from Sakura's fingers, but Naruto fumbled to catch it, managing to save it. Tears were falling down her cheeks. "Sakura-chan?" Naruto whispered hesitantly, placing the tea cup on the floor.

"It…it worked?" she gazed at Itachi, suddenly searching his eyes with her own.

He smiled for the first time in a long time. "Indeed. I must express my gratitude to you and your research for giving me back my sight."

Sakura shook her head, smiling but still unable to stop the flow of tears. "Sorry…sorry they did such a risky procedure. There was no telling what could've happened. If it had hurt you in anyway…" she choked back a soft sob.

"No need to apologize, Sakura," Itachi murmured, "You found a cure. Sasuke would be thanking you as well."

That brought her back to attention. Scrubbing her face, she leaned forward, gaze hardening noticeably. "Please go on. I'll try to refrain from anymore outbursts," she offered a small, sheepish smile.

Naruto leaned forward as well, placing a comforting hand on her back. "Aw, Sakura-chan, you don't have to hold back. We know how much of a crybaby you are—" He yelped at the sharp elbow jabbing him in the gut, and quieted down.

"The surgery provided sight, but it also triggered a stronger…chakra network," Itachi seemed to struggle with the words, appearing unsure of how they sounded. "I mentioned to you before how I felt as if I could at times pull apart the threads of a person's mind." Sakura nodded. He went on. "It took nothing more than meeting one of the medical assistants gazes before I felt her mind collapse under my order. I internally sought for her to disappear, and in an instant, she dropped to the floor." Itachi paused again, clasping his hands tighter together. "I had not intended to kill her. It was an accident that I continue to regret."

"Nonetheless," he shook off the moment, expression growing dark. "I was under maximum security confinement after that, and was not present when Sasuke awoke. They would allow me out only to help…train Sasuke's eyes." Itachi loosened his clasped hands, stretching his fingers as if to calm himself. "Again, I was unaware of the exact proceedings, but to call it training is a deep understatement. It was torture and nothing less. …I am unsure how many months passed, but it was close to a year when they called me out for the last time. I was never allowed to look at Sasuke or anyone else for that matter, but I heard his voice and he no longer sounded like my brother."

"What…?" Naruto licked his lips, unsure if he really wanted to know what that meant.

Itachi shook his head. "It is hard to explain, but the way he spoke lacked the essence of him. I could not recognize him at first. What occurred during his time with Orochimaru is beyond my understanding. All that I can say is that they no longer called me out and I remained in confinement for another handful of months before making my escape." He took a sip of the glass of water on the coffee table. "If Sasuke had succumbed to the torture, then it would be useless to try and drag him with me out of that base. I needed to escape and find reinforcements."

Sakura wasn't sure if she was relieved or not. There was a reason for Itachi leaving Sasuke behind, but the reason was unacceptable. Had he really been broken? Orochimaru broke Sasuke? How? For what purpose was he "training" him? "How long were you travelling before you arrived here?" she asked.

"Roughly three months. We were in Eastern Europe. Finding a way back to Japan took some time," Itachi explained, finishing his water and looking around at them. "Those are the basic details of the past two years. For now, we must move forward."

"What do you propose, Director?" Kakashi smiled behind his mask.

Itachi's lips quirked up slightly at the title, before falling back into a stern line. "It would be best to hide in plain sight. We are outnumbered and holing away in an isolated area is inviting disaster. If they plan on both murder and abduction, the worst thing we could do is pack up and travel between desolate locations."

"Hiding in plain sight though?" Sakura cocked her head, mulling over the suggestion. Suddenly, it clicked. "Do you mean publicizing ourselves?"

He nodded, a glimmer of pleasure lighting the red pools. "Yes. I will announce my return tomorrow morning at the earliest possible hour. From there, we must continue to place ourselves in the public's eye. Approaching us at any time will become an inconvenience and assassination attempts will be fewer and farther between as they account for increasingly difficult security circumstances. A private citizen is a much easier target wherein planning hits become near child's play. Planning the assassination of a public figure takes careful consideration."

"That's all well and good, Itachi," Naruto began, "but how exactly are we supposed to do that? We're all pretty well known in our fields, but it's not like we're celebrities or anything."

"There is no need to prolong our public images," he explained carefully, "what we need are enough public appearances to keep Orochimaru at bay, while simultaneously setting up opportunities for them to come to us." Itachi met Naruto's eyes briefly. "They will come in staggered groups for us, so as not to exhaust all of their forces on a single attempt. Tonight was a good example of that. Expect approximately five to seven operatives coming after us at a time."

"Don't you think using ourselves as bait in an isolated area might be better? It would shorten this operation significantly," Kakashi remarked.

Itachi shook his head. "Although we may eliminate more agents that way, what we must aim for is exposing Orochimaru. If we merely eliminated him, the public would be outraged and confused by his disappearance. His public image must be destroyed before he is. Furthermore, this bottlenecking of opportunities for them to strike places the power in our hands. We will have leverage in each encounter. I refuse to face another situation such as the one this evening." He heaved a deep sigh, looking suddenly much older. "It would be best to get some rest while we can. They are unlikely to strike again tonight when they are ill-prepared and poorly equipped to infiltrate this building. Therefore, we would do well to sleep now and continue planning tomorrow."

Silent agreement echoed around the room. "I'll grab the spare futons from the utility closet," Kakashi offered, standing up and nodding at Naruto, "come help me."

Half-heartedly complaining, Naruto followed his former mentor. It was clear on his face that the entire evening had been more than an ordeal. Suddenly they had shifted into fourth gear after running on the lowest gear for the past two years. No information and in the blink of an eye, they were taking orders from Itachi once again, and discovering that Sasuke had become some sort of slave to Orochimaru.

Naruto shivered at the thought. His best friend— _brother_ —had been suffering this entire time while he failed to find even one clue. What sort of law enforcer, no, human being, was he? How could he have just left Sasuke to fend for himself in the worst of situations? They were supposed to be a team and he had let him down. That stupidly smug smirk of his and those confident last words had at times given Naruto confidence that Sasuke could handle anything. But now, he could hardly believe that he drew comfort from what must've been the scariest decision Sasuke ever made. And Naruto had laid there and watched him go.

He let it happen.

X

Sakura shouldn't have been surprised by the bathroom's amenities in Itachi's private office. Considering how much time he must have spent at the department as director would definitely account for the all-inclusive quarters. The shower was small but clean and functional as she turned the nozzle and stepped under the spray. The others had set about prepping the bedding materials as Naruto chattered on about how much he loved sleepovers. She had chosen to excuse herself for a quick cleanse in hopes that she could have some privacy to mull over all the new information.

It had been near radio silence since he disappeared and since then, she had hardly been able to pay attention to things beyond her work. Social relations were constrained to Naruto, Kakashi, and Lee—her designated self-defense instructor. He was supposedly the best hand-to-hand combatant in the police force, and Naruto refused to have anyone else train her. She enjoyed his company anyway, so it was hardly trouble to spend time with Lee. However, now that Itachi had emerged from the depths of what sounded like literal hell, abruptly the world had shifted back into focus.

 _Sasuke-kun._

Sakura frowned, blinking back anymore tears before they could come. It was unsightly to be losing her composure when everyone else was holding it together. They had all lost as much as her. Itachi had surely been the most effected, yet he was leading the team as if it were nothing. What kind of resolve did he have? How did he overcome the feelings of guilt and regret and failure?

She and Naruto had had more than one drunken conversation about how responsible they had felt for Sasuke disappearing. For Sakura, she had confessed how she wondered if her research had actually harmed everyone more than helped anyone. In the end, if she had never looked into their degenerating eyes, then Orochimaru never would've conceived of bringing his mad ramblings into reality. She had been the catalyst. Everything began with her.

Whether or not Naruto agreed never mattered. He would defend her honor even if she was standing amidst a massacre and wielding the only weapon in sight. His blinders were so high when it came to friends…family. She understood that much about him, and so nothing constructive ever came out of their guilty confessions. However, it was a comfort in itself to voice those pains. The hurt never went away, but it eased.

But now how would they proceed? Sakura agreed with Itachi's plan—found it brilliant in their precarious situation. At the same time, she wondered if it would work as flawlessly as he made it seem. They might be able to counter Orochimaru and even expose his wrongdoings, but if Sasuke was in league with them, how were they to combat that issue? Should Sasuke commit heinous crimes, would he be subject to a criminal trial despite being a victim of torture? And who would determine his sentence? Would Itachi have to bear the burden of sending his only family member to prison?

Sakura swallowed around a lump in her throat, unable to comprehend the increasingly terrifying future. Would saving Sasuke really be saving him at all? Was he already so far gone that it would be useless to give him a satisfying future? Had she really been the cause of this chain reaction?

Gripping the wall, Sakura lunged out of the shower, scrambling to the toilet. Stomach acid burned its way up her esophagus and into the toilet, leaving behind a sour taste. Coughing, she wiped her mouth, shivering in the chilly bathroom. "Fuck," she croaked, breathing hard as she flushed the toilet. Thankfully, the running water had masked the sounds. Laughing humorlessly, she thumped her head back against the wall as she attempted to calm down enough to get changed and return to the main room.

 _Tomorrow…Itachi said we'll discuss details tomorrow. I just have to last until then._


	4. Little Brother's Betrothed

_BREAKING NEWS: MISSING KYOTO POLICE DEPT. DIRECTOR FOUND_

 _Early this morning, Uchiha Itachi released a live video from his private office at the Kyoto Police Department announcing that he has finally returned after over two years. Although he has yet to give the details, it appears that the missing case report was accurate and the culprits who orchestrated the disappearance may still be out there. Based on Uchiha-san's public statement, he had no choice in the disappearance, and hopes that, together with his police force, they can bring those involved to justice._

 _For the full view, please click the link below._

Itachi closed the article on his computer, turning around as the door opened to reveal Kakashi carrying a large brown bag smelling of breakfast pastries. Behind him, Naruto juggled a steaming pot of coffee and mugs. Sakura immediately stood from her spot on the couch to help lessen the load by taking the mugs from him with a smile.

The entire scene was surreal for Itachi. He never imagined that this level of normalcy would return in any reality. His life had been a brutal prisoner's tale for the past two years—though it felt more like a lifetime. Flashes of Sasuke's wretched screams pierced his eardrums, dragging him back to the depths of guilt. As his elder brother, he was charged with loving and protecting that young boy. Sasuke had always been Itachi's to take care of. From the time he was only a baby until the present moment…Itachi had never failed as horrifically as he did now.

"Still like your coffee sweet, director?" Kakashi murmured, leaning over his shoulder with a steaming mug in one hand and a stack of sugar packs in the other.

Itachi blinked away his phantoms. "Aa. I do." _More than ever now._ He took the drink gratefully, absently dumping sugar pack after sugar pack into the bitter liquid life. Across the room, Sakura and Naruto lightly bantered over the pastries. However, neither of their expressions were even remotely carefree. It seemed more like they were trying to comfort themselves by falling into a familiar routine. How many months…years, had it been since they last laughed from their hearts?

"So what's the plan?" Naruto asked around a mouthful of sweet bread.

Sighing softly, Itachi stood from his chair, nursing the mug of coffee as he walked over to join them on the couches. Kakashi took the armchair this time. "I've considered what each of us can publicize most effectively. I believe the best course of action would be for Naruto and Kakashi to become my public bodyguards. Such news would normally be dismissed, however, in light of my reappearance, now is the best and feasibly only time that such a small announcement would get public feedback."

"Are we provoking them?" Naruto cocked his head, brows drawing together. "Isn't it kind of dumb to come out and tell them who's gonna be with who all the time? If they know the three of us are together, they'll make plans around that knowledge."

"It's a risk we must take so that if anything happens to us, the media will be able to give you two names," Itachi explained calmly. "The more our names are known, the better off we are. We will slowly release more and more 'findings' about Orochimaru's syndicate."

His eyes shifted to Sakura then. He was silent for a long time, contemplating how best to word his next statement. It was the hardest one and he knew that Sakura was already in a dangerous position. Among them, she faced the worst odds. Not only was she considerably weaker physically, she held the most knowledge on the capabilities of the _Sharingan._ Although he couldn't be sure what exactly she knew or had continued to study, Itachi was almost positive that her knowledge threatened Orochimaru on some level. That alone was enough to make the situation increasingly dangerous. Furthermore, he could very well see their desire to capture her as a means of obtaining another researcher to expedite their plans. Itachi still couldn't be positive what exactly they sought. He knew it was preposterous, however, the details were obscured.

"Whatever it is, I'm ready." Sakura interrupted his wildly derailed thoughts. Her gaze was steady, lips pursed in a firm line. "If it brings Sasuke home, and stops Orochimaru, then I'm willing to do anything."

Itachi grimaced. Her resolve was supposed to be a relief, but it only made him feel more responsible. All of these children were—in some ways—his burden. Since the moment they became family to his little brother, they became important to him as well. Eyeing Sakura warily, he could only see the young woman Sasuke had fallen in love with. Such a woman was to be protected, not paraded around as bait for a psychotic scientist. Perhaps those were antiquated notions, but he could only imagine that had Sasuke been in his place, ensuring the safety of his beloved would be the top priority. As his older brother, was it not his job to fulfill the duties of his absent sibling?

"I struggle to request such a thing of you," he finally admitted, releasing a deep sigh. Blood red eyes took her in once more, expression tight with stress. "Tradition would dictate that I protect my little brother's betrothed in his stead, not place her in further danger."

Sakura clenched her fists. "Unless he comes back, all we'll ever have is a promise. I'll respect tradition when we bring Sasuke back."

XXX

"Where is he?" Orochimaru nearly hissed, stalking through the underground facility. His eyes narrowed as a common guard stuttered out an answer, pointing down the hallway. Swiftly, the scientist strode forth, slit pupils increasingly menacing as they zeroed in on Kabuto.

The silver haired young man was busy taking notes on a chemical reaction in one of the many labs. His hair was stiffly tied back and his glasses were carefully perched atop his nose. Three cages lined the eastern wall adjacent to the entrance. Orochimaru barely gave the cages and their occupants a glance. Instead, he coiled long fingers around Kabuto's shoulder, urging him to turn around.

Fear made sweat trickle down the slope of the researcher's neck. Schooling his features, Kabuto turned around, bowing deeply to his boss. "Orochimaru-sama," he greeted, "I must have been too engrossed in my work. I apologize for the late greeting—"

The next moment, Kabuto was flying across the floor, nothing but his lab coat to cushion the blow. He grunted, feeling ribs bruising. The notes he had taken skidded to the other side of the room. With a groan, he pushed himself up to his knees, only to feel a boot slam into his cheek, shoving his face back to the cold concrete.

"Were you not the one in charge of the hunting party last night?" Orochimaru whispered coldly.

"I…I was," Kabuto grunted, fingers curling and uncurling against the floor as Orochimaru ground his heel into his face.

"Then _why_ was my precious vessel among you?" his voice was too close, cold air slithering into his ear. "I explicitly ordered that he is not yet ready to be interacting with the world, especially with that _woman_."

Kabuto swallowed hard, trying to breathe normally. "I…apologize. He was to remain in the armored vehicle, but must have slipped past his guards." He squeezed his eyes shut, gritting his teeth against a particularly brutal kick to the face. "…he did not make contact though. We removed ourselves before a situation arose." He gritted his teeth against a hacking cough.

"Luck is unreliable," Orochimaru murmured, slowly removing his foot. "Stand."

Struggling, Kabuto rose to his feet, holding a hand to his bleeding nose.

"What tests are you running right now?" he inquired, clasping his hands tightly behind his back as he approached the cages. Although his mood was clearly still sour, Kabuto would take any mercies and this was clearly one.

Swallowing unsteadily, Kabuto reached for a handkerchief and tilted his head back, trying to slow the flow of blood. "F…For Suigetsu and Jugo," he managed hoarsely. Clearly his throat around a cough, he elaborated, "Uchiha Itachi caused some physical damage…so I was testing a new healing serum." Kabuto strode over to a simmering beaker of blue liquid, picking it up and swirling the contents around with a flick of his wrist.

"To heal faster?" Orochimaru tilted his head, expression flat.

"Not quite," he shook his head, setting the beaker down and retrieving a syringe. Placing the handkerchief down for a moment, he carefully handled the lab equipment. Dipping the needle into the liquid, he pulled back on the plunger, filling the vial. Tapping the glass twice to disperse air bubbles, he grabbed the handkerchief and once again pressed it to his nose. "It's a pain suppressant that also makes the user's adrenaline spike. It should be useful in difficult situations or ones where medical aid is unavailable." Kabuto winced as his nose began to throb.

Orochimaru approached the cages, waving for Kabuto to come over as well. Peering down at Suigetsu who sat on the floor, legs stretched out in front of him, Orochimaru said, "His conditioning worked much better than I imagined."

Kabuto nodded, handed Orochimaru the syringe. "He was only half formed when he first arrived to our labs. Perhaps his underdevelopment accounts for why he was so easy to break." His eyes trailed to the middle cage, a lump forming in his throat from anxiety. That man had been fierce before, but after his upgrades, it was hard to imagine anyone being able to lay a hand on him. Scarlet irises glowed in the semi-darkness, but they appeared unfocused as he sat on the cold, concrete cell bench. His head hung, shoulders hunched.

Wordlessly, Orochimaru opened Suigetsu's cage, noting with pleasure that the prisoner only flinched in response to his presence. That was the proper reaction for tools. Insolence was not tolerated. Grabbing Suigetsu's arm, he yanked it up while ignoring the small yelp of pain Suigetsu released at everything being jostled. Orochimaru sank the needle into the flesh at the juncture of forearm and upper arm, and depressed the plunger.

Involuntary spasms wracked Suigetsu's body. He choked on his own spit, eyes crossing and uncrossing. He swallowed another shout, hardly aware of Orochimaru backing away and locking him once again in the cage. The researcher studied the subject's reactions intently. "How long does the immediate adjustment take?" he asked, turning to Kabuto.

"It should only be ten to fifteen seconds," he responded.

Silence filled the next several seconds as they waited for a reaction. Suigetsu calmed, but his body shook with pent up energy. His eyes shifted back and forth wildly, as if searching for some outlet.

"Bring him down to the pit." Orochimaru turned on his heel. "I want a full report." With that, he exited the lab, door swinging silently shut behind him.

Kabuto swallowed painfully before pressing his hand down on a hand held communicator. Lifting it to his lips, he spoke, "Send guards to pick up Test Subject Suigetsu for immediate pit exercises." He watched Suigetsu warily from beyond the cage, wondering how long it would be before he lost control. The serum was potent and from the looks of it, his dislocated arm was no longer bothering him. The side effects and after shock of the serum also hadn't been tested though, so perhaps this would be a good opportunity to take detailed notes. Kabuto mentally flipped through the list of potential sacrifices to send into the pit exercises, coming up with a few names. Connecting over the comm-unit again, he ordered for those individuals to be sent down to the pit as well.

Soft muttering from the middle cage caught Kabuto's attention. With some hesitancy, he walked over to the bars, peering inside to where Uchiha Sasuke remained hunched over. Messy, overgrown black hair warped like sentient shadows around his terrifying eyes. Kabuto was still nervous about allowing the test subject to remain without a blindfold, however, Orochimaru assured him that Sasuke was far too conditioned already to turn on them.

"Something wrong, Sasuke- _kun_?" Kabuto attempted to force sarcastic cheer into his voice, but it felt hollow. These days, his work felt more and more burdensome. In many ways, Orochimaru had made leaps and bounds with his research into the Uchiha eyes, but the anxiety remained because the final product was still unconfirmed. For all they knew, they were working toward an impossible goal.

The darkly clad figure slowly shook his head, a simple back and forth motion. Otherwise, the only movement was in his loosely clasped hands. He gripped a small, smooth rock no larger than a key charm in his left hand. Methodically, he stroked his thumb delicately across the surface.


	5. Nostalgia

It would unwise for them to continue camping out in Itachi's office, however, their respective homes were far from secure. In the end, their options were limited. One choice was to quickly find a new apartment or rental home that would be classified information from the public. Problem: Orochimaru's people were cunning. It would take hardly a day for them to ascertain their location. Choice two was using one of the secure safe houses used by officers who were working undercover or were otherwise being hunted. The problem with that laid in their isolation. Those safe houses tended to be removed from the city and well hidden. However, if they frequently came and went, then the safety of their housing would be immediately put at risk.

Itachi mulled over his options before finally sighing. "I must reluctantly conclude that our best housing option at the moment would be my estate." It irked him to imagine press flooding the front gates of his childhood home, but at the same time, he knew the ins and outs of that place best. There was also private security and privacy in general. The Uchiha estate staff were not to be underestimated. They would provide the highest level of protection and secrecy available in their current predicament.

"Yes!" Naruto cheered, punching the air excitedly. He turned to Sakura who was merely watching him, exasperated. "You're not excited, Sakura-chan? We used to play there all the time as kids! And I bet teme would be thrilled for you to use his bedroom." The blonde winked.

Sakura flushed, aiming a straight punch at his gut. Naruto dodged with a snicker, hopping around as she tried to land punch after punch. "I'm sure there are plenty of rooms. There's no need for me to use Sasuke-kun's quarters."

Itachi cleared his throat, grabbing their collective attention. "Although I would normally agree with your logic, Sakura, it is actually as Naruto says."

"What?" Naruto blinked. "I was just kidding."

"The inner quarters of the estate are intimate. There are only three furnished bedrooms. The rest of the rooms were converted into storage after it was decided that Sasuke would be the last child my mother gave birth to." Itachi's expression stayed impassive as Kakashi cocked a brow, Sakura paled, and Naruto tried not to burst out laughing. "I will undoubtedly be using my own bedroom. My parents' room was converted into a guest room that sleeps two, so Naruto and Kakashi will be sharing that space. That leaves Sasuke's room for you, Sakura."

Naruto guffawed, tears pricking his eyes as he held his stomach. "Oh this is great! Wait 'til teme gets back. I'm gonna tease him every chance I get."

"Grow up. It's not even that funny," Sakura growled, shoving him.

"Don't stay up too late hugging his pillow—"

"—will you _shut up_?" she interrupted, bright red. "I'm just using his room. Why is your head always in the gutter? And besides, what sort of terrible T.V. dramas are you watching? That sounds like a soap opera."

Naruto huffed. "It's not _terrible_. There's some really heart wrenching stuff in those shows. Just last week I watched one where the female lead was pushed down a steep hill and got amnesia. She had just confessed her love after like 20 episodes, too!" He clicked his tongue. "It was so frustrating. Hinata almost cried."

Sakura leered. "Oh, I see. So you watch this stuff so you can cuddle up to Hinata and comfort her? How sly."

He didn't even have the decency to blush, instead he smirked. "It works."

"You're terrible," she giggled, unable to help herself.

Kakashi wanted to reprimand them softly for their behavior, but at the same time, it was better to see them lively than grim. It had been a hectic 24 hours. Any reprieve from that tension was welcome—even if it took the form of Naruto and Sakura bantering about the most useless of things. He glanced down at Itachi who observed the young pair curiously. "See something interesting?" Kakashi murmured.

Itachi's eyes flitted over to him. The corner of his mouth pricked up slightly. "Merely wondering how jealous my little brother must have gotten when he watched Naruto and Sakura interacting." He chuckled deep in his throat, but the sound did not break the surface. "How cute."

"They're quite close," Kakashi agreed, hiding his own mirth.

"When do we leave?" Naruto prompted, interrupting their soft conversation. He had his arms around Sakura's shoulders, half-hug and half-headlock.

Itachi checked the time, seeing the clock inching toward supper time. "Now should be a good time. I will call the staff to notify them of our arrival and dining needs. They should also have a spare key into the inner quarters. I trust that you remember how to get there, Naruto." When he received an affirmative nod from the blonde, Itachi stood and picked up his recently reconnected office phone. "Naruto, Sakura, please proceed ahead of us. I am alerting my personnel to have an armored vehicle prepared for you at the back entrance."

"You two are joining us later?" Sakura inquired uneasily.

Kakashi ruffled her hair gently, smiling beneath his mask. "No need to worry. We may be targets, but we're strong. We'll definitely meet you two in a bit."

The assurances hardly seemed to affect her though, as she continued to give them a strained look. Sakura opened her mouth to possibly protest more, but then Naruto was tugging her bodily toward the door. "Have faith in them, Sakura-chan," he grinned easily, blue eyes shining warmly.

She smiled back slightly, pushing him off of her and walking alongside him. "If you're wrong, I'm kicking your ass to the moon."

Naruto's back stiffened, but he forced out a nervous laugh. No one in their right mind would take her threats lightly. She packed a punch, to say the least. "Let's go, let's go."

XXX

"…And here's the bathroom, Sakura-chan," Naruto pulled a sliding door aside, revealing a neat and clean wooden bathtub and showering station. Freshly bottled soaps rested on a shelf with clear labels. They peeked in from the changing room that only held the necessities—a sink, mirror, and laundry basket. Naruto slid the bathroom door shut, and reached for a cabinet in the changing room, revealing stacks of navy blue yukata. "Staying at teme's house always did feel like a hotel, huh?" he laughed.

"I guess so," Sakura muttered, amused. "I never got to sleep over, so this is my first time seeing these things."

The blonde cocked his head. "Huh…I guess that's true. You were just over here all the time, so I assumed you must've stayed over at least once."

"I've stayed late," she agreed, "but I never really officially slept over. I certainly didn't take a bath here." Sakura yawned, rolling her shoulders. "Speaking of, I think I'm gonna take that bath now before dinner."

Naruto grinned. "Alright. I'll keep lookout—"

"—no need," she deadpanned, pointing at the exit.

He drooped, but the glimmer of mischief remained in his bright eyes. "You're such a party pooper, Sakura-chan. Well, whatever, it's your loss." He snickered on the way out, snapping the lock on the changing room door before closing it behind him.

She smiled softly, glad to have Naruto with her. The past two years would have been painfully unbearable without him. Glancing up at the blue yukata, she tugged one down, noting the slightly too large size. The material was softened from use, but the color remained rich. Unfurling it, she searched for the familiar symbol, finding it on the back near the neck line. It was carefully embroidered, each stitch clearly done by hand. Sakura traced the pattern gently with a fingertip, an affectionate smile curving her lips before she knew it.

 _"This is the first time I've seen you wear a yukata!" Sakura was nearly jumping up and down, her wooden sandals clicking against the concrete noisily. She stumbled slightly, catching herself on his dark blue sleeve._

 _Sasuke gazed down at her, wordlessly. Despite the stoic silence, he made no move to push her hand away from where it gripped him. The festival crowd around them was growing rowdier by the second as lantern lights grew steadily brighter with darkening nightfall._

 _Sakura grinned up at him, giggling at his clearly tense expression. "We didn't have to do this, you know. We can see the fireworks clearly from your backyard and Naruto just bought that takoyaki maker so we can still have the festival feeling." She began tugging his sleeve toward the exit which laid no more than a few feet from where they stood._

 _"Hn." This time, he did shake her off, only to take her hand instead to turn them toward the somewhat intimidatingly dense crowd ahead. "Once a year is doable."_

 _"Really?" she laughed, shuffling after him as people made way in the face of his frigid demeanor. Sakura gripped his hand tighter, unable to wipe the silly grin off her face. "Don't blame me if this night kills you, Sasuke-kun."_

 _A spark of challenge lit his dark eyes as he glanced back at her. Smirking faintly, he pulled her closer until they were pressed hip to hip, hands clasped tightly between their bodies. "Don't get lost."_

Blinking away the memory, Sakura set the yukata back on the shelf.

X

Naruto lied back on the tatami mats of Sasuke's room, gazing up at the barren ceiling. The sliding doors were open, allowing a soft, cooling breeze into the cozy space. In one corner, a small, yellow lit lamp glowed, managing to illuminate most of the room. A familiar bookshelf peered back at him, nestled against a wall. His eyes landed on a pink binding.

 _Flipping open the book, he whistled. "Man, I remember that day! Ino made Sakura-chan buy that super skimpy red bikini, right?" Naruto laughed._

 _"What are you doing?" Sasuke snapped, hand shooting out to snatch the book._

 _Naruto dodged, turning a page. "Aw, that's pretty cute. First date selfie!" He teased, holding up the picture. "Man, teme, you seriously ruin all of these with your ugly face. I bet they'd look much better if only Sakura-chan was in them."_

 _"Put that back," he ground out, unamused._

 _"What? I'm just reminiscing!" he chortled._

Naruto averted his gaze, rolling onto his side, back to the bookshelf. He had never been one to dwell on the past, but it seemed every memory was more painful than the next these days. Although Sasuke's location and status as alive had been verified now, it only made things worse. Naruto would have to carry the burden of not only failing his best friend once, but multiple times. Every lost opportunity to rescue Sasuke meant another hour of torture—another crack in the man's resolve.

Whoever they found at the end of this journey would never be the Sasuke they knew in the past. Naruto already understood this, and he had a gut feeling Sasuke did too. _Take care of her…huh? What a joke._ He scoffed. No one was safe, least of all Sasuke.

 _"…Do you all understand?" Itachi peered around the room. "From here on out, my little brother will no longer exist."_


	6. First Strike: Start

_Itachi smiled a very small smile. It faded with his next breath as he focused on Sakura. "It will be a multi-part job. The first phase will be releasing an article that you have discovered the cure for a rare degenerative eye disease." He tapped a finger against his knee. "The second part will be making a public announcement at a press conference that it is an eye disease unique to the Uchiha clan."_

 _"_ _Before we release the third announcement which will be a detailed explanation of the procedure, we should expect that Orochimaru will attempt to stop us. In the best case, he will strike a deal with us. In the worst case, he will send droves of assassins to prevent exposing the power of our eyes."_

 _Sakura shook her head. "Revealing such sensitive data to the public will put you in danger. What if other research facilities come to the same conclusions as Orochimaru? What if they too begin chasing after you and Sasuke in hopes of immortality and other wild children's fantasies?" she demanded._

 _"_ _It is necessary," he stated firmly. "Because it's the bait to lure him out. Once the public is aware of such an operation, we'll be positioned to expose Orochimaru's research labs. It will be a direct, frontal attack. At that time, I will also confess my own role as an unwilling test subject." Itachi had dropped his gaze. "But we will never breathe a word of Sasuke's role. It could cause insurmountable damage for everyone. Do you all understand?" Itachi peered around the room. "From here on out, my little brother will no longer exist."_

Sakura's eyes flickered open, soft early morning light filtering through the shoji screens. Although it was faint, Sasuke's scent lingered in the folds of his futon and in the lines of his modest room. She rubbed her eyes gently, stifling a yawn as she sat up. Her gaze followed the softened edges of his bookshelf and the frayed bindings of many novels loved over the years. Sakura peered at the dust particles flitting about, illuminated only by dawn and reminding her of his forgotten life. There was only the absence of Sasuke now. With time and detergent, even the seemingly truest reminders of his presence would fade.

A humorless laugh bubbled up, catching in her throat. Sakura swallowed it painfully back. Now was not the time to take Itachi's words so literally. He only meant that Sasuke would no longer be directly involved in the limelight. If possible, they would ensure that his safe retrieval was a deeply guarded secret. She agreed with that approach—probably more than Naruto did. They couldn't afford to hurt Sasuke anymore, especially after what he must still be experiencing. Sakura didn't want to dwell on the possibilities. If she did, she would probably lose her mind.

Sleep seemed to have evaded her once again. Despite the early hour, she couldn't see herself getting anymore rest. Even her dreams had been plagued with the present. It was a lost cause to escape even for a few hours. Sakura resigned herself to preparing for the day.

As she went about her morning routine, she was surprised—but also not—to find Itachi and Kakashi awake and enjoying morning tea in the living room.

Itachi acknowledged her presence first, offering a silent nod and filling a cup of tea for her. Gratefully, Sakura joined them at the low table, sipping the warm drink slowly. "Good morning," she smiled a little, noting their equally exhausted expressions.

"I'm glad you're looking on the bright-side, Sakura," Kakashi mused. "It is a good morning."

She stifled a snort, shaking her head softly. "Nothing has happened in the past five minutes that could feasibly start an international war. I think that's a good sign."

"That may only be true until noon today," Itachi remarked, setting his tea cup down. "I have scheduled several news companies to release our article about the cure for the degenerative ocular disease. To be sure, a great fuss will be thrown up worldwide."

Sakura made a small sound of disapproval but said nothing else. It was all part of the plan and this was merely the first step. Many more things would be happening and if things went according to Itachi's will, they would be choking the life and work out of Orochimaru. What they had to be concerned about was his counterstrike. There was absolutely no possibility that he would take this attack sitting down.

"Do you think this will really force his hand?" Sakura mumbled softly, not realizing the words had left her until they were already out.

Itachi peered at her, gaze oddly gentle despite the permanent chill in those bloody pools. "I believe he will act in a surprising way. It's not worth our time and effort to try and guess what he will do. We will lay our cards out with the assurance that no one on our side can be killed in plain sight now. That is the best we can do."

A part of her wanted to argue that that was far from the _best_ that they could do, however she pushed it down. Exhaustion was winning out and she didn't want to lash out with emotions—not when all of them were struggling. Itachi, especially, had been who-knew-where for months on end while on the run. "Understood." Sakura finished her tea and stood. "I'm going to wake Naruto up."

They both nodded as she departed.

"Although you said all of that, you've probably been thinking about Orochimaru's reaction this whole time," Kakashi remarked mildly, eyes drifting to Itachi.

The police director smiled humorlessly. "She is a very emotional young woman. I hoped to put her somewhat at ease, but I am aware such a thing is impossible now."

"Sakura has grown up quite a bit," he responded lightly, "I expected her to shout at you."

Itachi chuckled at that. "I hope her spirit can wake my little brother up. He's much too somber for his own good."

Kakashi hummed his agreement. _I hope the future can be that bright._

XXX

The announcement took the world by storm.

It raised alarm among scientists and doctors and peaked general public curiosity. More than anything though, it was the face of Haruno Sakura in all the news articles that had people going wild. How had such a young girl discovered something like a new eye disease? How had she stumbled upon it? Who did she work for? What were the details of this disease?

In a matter of hours, Tsunade's hospital email servers had been overloaded with inquiries. They were all vying for a chance to speak with her apprentice. It made it even harder because Sakura was nowhere to be found. She had reported in once earlier that morning to warn Tsunade about the incoming media frenzy and also to tell her that she would be into work the night shift.

What in god's name was happening?

Tsunade was somewhat aware of the Uchiha Sasuke situation, but the details were a highly restricted secret. Either way, she had no desire to be involved in something that dangerous. She didn't have a death wish. It was bad enough that Sakura was in the thick of it. And now, apparently, things were being kicked into overdrive. That's the only reason Tsunade could find for Sakura going public about her ocular research.

What she wondered about was just _who_ Sakura was trying to lure out with such news. The reports had conveniently left out details of the people affected by the disease. Would it be revealed in a later report? Why the build up?

"Tsunade-sama?" The door creaked open and Shizune peered inside.

"Hmm."

"You have a visitor."

"I've had visitors all day," she complained, glaring at her assistant. "Be more specific. If it's another reporter, tell them I'm out to lunch."

Shizune shook her head quickly. "It's…Orochimaru-sama's assistant, Kabuto." Her brows drew together in consternation. "He's quite adamant about meeting with you as soon as possible."

The tone and expression made it clear that refusing was not an option. Grimacing, Tsunade nodded once stiffly.

A moment later, Shizune returned with Kabuto in tow. With one last glance at her boss, she shut the door. Tsunade gave the strange young man a once over. "What do you want? I'm busy." She turned her gaze back down to the stack of documents on her desk.

"Forgive my sudden appearance here, Tsunade-sama," he smiled politely, but the strain around the corners of his mouth were a dead giveaway. _He's anxious._ "I'm here on behalf of Orochimaru-sama. If you'll excuse my bluntness, he would like to know about this ocular disease that Haruno-san discovered. Were you a part of her research?"

Tsunade's head rose slowly, glare cold. "And? Why did he send a little runt like you instead of coming himself? If this is so important for him to know, he should ask in person."

"He's quite busy with his own research at the moment," he laughed awkwardly, "I'm sure you can understand that feeling of being too caught up in your work to leave the lab."

"So? How does he have the spare brain power to inquire about my apprentice's pet project?" Tsunade leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. She watched the young man closely, noting the increasing tension in the line of his shoulders and the pulse of the vein in his neck. "I don't make a habit of ratting out my people. I hope Orochimaru remembers that for the future."

Kabuto just smiled wider, the chill in his expression now blatant. "Does that mean you _do_ know something, Tsunade-sama?"

"I probably know less than you do," she returned the smile. "Isn't that right?"

The silence lasted for a beat too long. Kabuto lowered his head in a curt bow. "Thank you for your time. Please let Haruno-san know that I'd like to speak with her whenever she has time."

Tsunade followed his movements toward the door, only answering him as he crossed the threshold, "Send us an email. There's a queue of people interested in my apprentice." The door slammed shut loudly and she cackled in her chair.


	7. Eyes Like Springtime

The counterstrike was swift and clumsy.

Calling it a counterstrike was actually being generous. To be expected, the first thing Orochimaru did was publicly announce his support for research in the cure. He loudly extended his aid and resources to Sakura via an open letter to the media. It was a standard move followed by a haphazard attempt to cause a hit-and-run.

Hardly something to be concerned over.

Itachi was prepared for such foolish tricks without even giving it prior thought. A few more attempts on his life were made, but all of the "accidents" were futile. It was almost embarrassing at times to think this was the level Orochimaru deemed acceptable for dealing with them. On the other hand, if this was a sign of their level of hysteria, then he was truly pleased. They had yet to make another move beyond those two things.

The following silence though was taking its toll.

Days passed in a flurry of interviews and press conferences without another strange occurrence. Sakura had been on the edge of her seat night and day, wondering what Orochimaru and his underlings would attempt to do. Even Kabuto hadn't shown his face—not that Sakura particularly wanted to deal with him. It was merely surprising that he hadn't sneaked into the hospital to harass her. Although two years had passed, her memories of him were fresh and cold.

On the surface, it seemed like Itachi and Kakashi were unconcerned about the situation, even going as far as to trivialize an assassination attempt. However, Sakura wondered if they too were beginning to feel the strain of silence.

Like being in a locked room for too long without human contact.

It was becoming increasingly impossible _not_ to consider the possibilities. The silence was more unnerving than a full-frontal assault. Obviously, it was smartest and safest to keep themselves in the public eye, but it left her wanting. After all this time, they had finally caught wind of Orochimaru's operations via Itachi's return, but rather than storming his base, they were playing mind games.

Despite being a scientist and a medic, Sakura was so completely and utterly disinterested in manipulative matches such as the one they were currently embroiled in. Using her brain was exclusively for the betterment of society. Using her fists had become an option after Orochimaru drove a stake into her rekindled bonds.

But, it seemed like her fists would be seeing absolutely no action. Instead, she was fielding questions with a smile on her face while skillfully avoiding mentioning the Uchiha Family. When she wasn't being a spokesperson for her own research, she was scurrying around the hospital working with patients.

The entire routine was strangely…normal.

They were fighting a war on home turf, but no one knew. She was acting like a respectable member of society while looking over her shoulder every few seconds in fear of an assassin or a kidnapper—maybe both. What had her life become?

Was this what it actually meant to love an Uchiha? Even in the modern era, they were facing off against murderers ready to snipe them at a moment's notice.

Sakura questioned why she wanted something like this in her life. In the wee hours of the morning when the sun was just cresting over the horizon, she would quietly and shamefully think about an alternate world—one where none of this was real and no one was in danger.

A world where Sasuke wasn't the pitiful heir to an even more pitiful fate.

A world where Itachi didn't have to fear that his own thoughts could kill someone.

Honestly, she would normally laugh at her own thoughts then while burying her face in the slowly fading scent of Sasuke's pillows and blankets. How in _this world_ had she ended up giving life to a fantastical horror? Ancient eye diseases? Super human powers? A battle for immortality? A mad scientist out for your blood? Hadn't she set their fates in motion by being too curious and too stubborn? What if she had just allowed Sasuke to lose his sight rather than fight for a cure?

Would they all be okay right now?

"Tomorrow we make the second announcement."

Sakura looked up from her dinner. They had taken to conducting meetings in the living room of the Uchiha estate. Although attending to their regular jobs was fine, they would be asking for trouble by spending too much time outside of the compound. When night fell, they were better off staying indoors where not even the most trusted guards were allowed to enter. Only the four of them were given access to the inner rooms.

"Already?" Sakura prompted, surprised.

"It appears that they do not plan on making a move, so we will force their hand," Itachi explained calmly. He poured another cup of tea for himself, bright eyes rimmed with dark circles. "Their halfhearted attempts at attacking us most likely made it clear that they could not combat our strategy with violence."

"Is provoking them the best option?" she responded, absently running a fingertip around the lip of her tea cup. "I'm tired of the silence but invoking the wrath of someone like Orochimaru worries me."

Kakashi smiled lightly at her from behind his mask. "I'm afraid we've already provoked him quite a bit. I agree with Itachi. We need to be bold while we still have the upper hand."

"Hey, I have a question."

Three pairs of eyes shifted to Naruto. The blond had been oddly quiet during these nightly discussions. Hearing him speak now was almost relieving. Sakura watched him intently, noting his drawn brows and tensed jaw.

"What is it?" Itachi murmured.

"Why haven't they just used Sasuke to try and make us shut up? Couldn't they send us threats to shut our mouths? Like they'll hurt teme or something if we don't stop?"

"They wouldn't bother," the elder Uchiha replied, sipping his tea thoughtfully. "It's an empty threat and we all are well aware of that. They wouldn't dare hurt Sasuke when they've invested such time and money into him. Torturing him further would only put themselves in a bad position. We have effectively gained the upper hand for the time being, therefore, it is best that we proceed as Kakashi put it: boldly."

Sakura grimaced. Was Sasuke really being treated well enough though? _No_. She gripped her cup tighter. Were they going to crush Orochimaru until he was nothing? Then what? "At what point do we retrieve Sasuke-kun?"

"When we are best positioned to infiltrate Orochimaru's labs."

"What if he kills him?" Sakura returned, sharper than she intended. Her eyes remained firmly on the steaming liquid in the ceramic cup. "He'll be cornered. His inhuman experiments will be exposed. Do you really think he won't try to destroy it all beforehand?" She swallowed hard, throat dry. "Sasuke-kun won't be precious to them anymore if Orochimaru is caught."

Naruto's gaze was always too honest. Too empathetic. Sakura refused to look at him despite his hand reaching out to her. Warm fingers curled over her own and she slowly released the death grip on her cup. "I'm not gonna let him die, Sakura-chan. I swear it."

"We don't even have a retrieval plan," she snapped, shutting her eyes tightly.

"In due time," Itachi watched her, speaking in a slow, soft voice, "we will determine the best way to bring my little brother home. We must see what card Orochimaru plays and from then, we will know the correct path to take." He paused briefly, seeming to consider his next words carefully. "Becoming impatient will make us clumsy. A game of strategy may cause greater strain, but it ultimately saves the most lives."

Sakura silently nodded. "Tomorrow then." She stood, leaving the room with a soft "good night." The sliding door shut noiselessly. Her retreating footsteps echoed down the hall.

 _A black muzzle. A blindfold._

 _Hunched shoulders. Calculated steps._

 _She stared on, frozen. His hair was longer. Lankier. Unwashed and uncared for. Battle hardened muscles flexed with each step he took. His image was flickering though. Like static on a screen. Between blinks, she swore he vanished, only to emerge startlingly closer._

 _And then a gloved hand was gripping her by the throat, lifting her up into the air. Ruthless. Efficient. Too cold._

 _Always cold these days._

 _She was smiling though. Through the tears. Through the broken gasps for air. Warm fingers curled around his steely grip. She wasn't trying to push him off though. There was no struggle._

 _Green eyes like springtime._

 _All for him._

His eyes opened slowly. The cell was dark. A single fluorescent lamp beyond the metal bars cast shadows all around. The soft scratching of a pen on paper could be heard between the hum of machines and snoring from the other experiments.

Fingers twitching, he peered down at one gloved hand. _Warm._ When was the last time a thought like that passed through his mind? That dream had left a lingering heat where there should've only been numbness.

 _But why her?_ Her face. Her eyes. Her smile. All of it drove him mad.

"You're awake, Sasuke- _kun_?" Kabuto. His leering face inched closer until it was mere inches from the bars. "How did you sleep?"

No response.

"Good," the researcher hummed. "I've got great news for you." Kabuto had always been a master of smiling. It was eerie. Unsettling. But right now, it was particularly hysterical. He waved over two orderlies. "It looks like you will finally be fulfilling your long-awaited mission. Aren't you excited? No more sitting in this dank cell all day," he chuckled.

The door groaned open. Sasuke stood slowly, noting that the assistants made no move to get closer to him. Automatically, he picked up the blindfold from the concrete bench and tied it over his eyes. Only then did he feel rough hands snatch him by the arms. They hauled him forward without an ounce of grace.

He followed their lead flawlessly, long since used to the fumbling of Orochimaru's guards. Kabuto's voice was in his ear a moment later, sending unpleasant tension through his muscles. "We—well not just _we_ , rather, the entire world over has been informed of your family's degenerative ocular disease, courtesy of your _lovely_ Sakura. She's truly a spitfire. I wonder how much of this plotting was her idea and how much of it was your dear brother's."

Sasuke usually tried to ignored Kabuto's ramblings. They were nonsense. _Brother. What brother? Whose?_ He only felt frustration from such questions. The name "Sakura" was the only one that evoked a reaction.

It was the name of his target. _Eyes like springtime._ It made his blood boil. The life and light in a single human being shouldn't have been that bright. At least, he had no memories left to tell him otherwise. She was everything he could no longer recall.

It was painful.

Instead, he had her image in mind. Yet, they had become tied to jealousy and hatred and bloodlust. He was ready. He would suffocate all that she represented. It was everything he wasn't allowed to have anymore.

She would die, and he would be free of the aching longing for daylight.


	8. Eyes like Death

**A/N: Wow, talk about being awful. Here's an update after a millennia. Thanks to those who are still interested in reading! I've been living and working in Japan for the past half a year, so lots of life changes have kept me busy. I'm also full of excuses. Anyway, look forward to a few more updates! Peace.**

* * *

"You up, Sakura-chan?"

She slowly blinked her eyes, rubbing them tiredly. Had she drifted off again? It was Sunday, but better known as her only day off in the work week. Sitting up carefully, she glanced up at Naruto who stood uneasily in the doorway.

 _Uneasy…_ Sakura got to her feet quickly. "What happened?" she demanded. It was hard to rattle Naruto. If he was visibly anxious then something big had occurred.

"Read it." He passed her his phone which was open to a news article.

 _Published 5 minutes ago._

Sakura meant to skim it, but the photo above the headline stopped her. In fact, it felt like more than time had stopped. Her heart stopped. Her breathing stopped. The world may have stuttered to a momentary halt as well.

Dressed in black from head to toe was Uchiha Sasuke.

His features were sharper…harsher. The cut of his lips was impassive whilst the bright red of his eyes sent searing chills down her spine. It looked as if he had been adequately fed, however, the dark shadows underneath his eyes screamed of insomnia. He wasn't well. He was far from safe. But the real concern now was _why_ were they exposing him?

Orochimaru stood beside his captive in the photo, smiling for all the world as if he wasn't a criminal. Sakura scrolled down, reading the article haphazardly. Her heart was pounding painfully fast as adrenaline filled her veins.

 _…_ _found him severely injured several months ago…_

 _…_ _rehabilitation services…no known living guardian to report to…_

 _…_ _rescued._

 _…_ _A hero for saving Uchiha Sasuke._

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto called tentatively, watching a flurry of emotions pass across her face. She had always been a bit of an open book, but the amount of feelings registering on her features was borderline hysterical. He slowly tugged the phone out of her hand as she stumbled out into the hallway. "Sakura!" Naruto caught her wrist, stopping her from storming into the living room.

" _What?_ " she snapped, whirling on him. "Are we just going to _take our time_? He's out there! He's public!" Her voice rose with each word, eyes wide and wet. "Let's go—"

"—she's right. Let's go."

The pair jerked around, seeing Itachi and Kakashi coming toward them. They were suited and groomed, expressions grim. Naruto cleared his throat, loosening his grip on Sakura's now slack arm. "Uh, go where exactly?"

Itachi snapped cufflinks into place, shrugging his coat on. "We've been summoned. Or rather, _I_ have been summoned to collect my little brother as his only living relative." His eyes fell on Sakura. "However, _you_ have been summoned by the press to respond to Orochimaru's request."

She stared dumbly.

The older man's lips thinned. "An official representative of Orochimaru contacted me soon after the announcement about Sasuke. They are extending a…helping hand of sorts to your research endeavors. Orochimaru has expressed public concern over the funding and facilities available to you and desires a…partnership. He wants to make himself a recognized member of your research team. We have already prepared a press conference for you to deliver a response."

"He certainly met our bold move with a bold move of his own," Kakashi mused humorlessly. Adjusting his mask, he reached out to gently ruffle Sakura's hair. The tender touch seemed to snap her back. "We need you to keep your cool during this press conference. I know this will be difficult, but you have to accept his offer for the publicity. If anything goes awry, now the entire world will be watching. We still have the upper hand. If anything, this may make our lives easier having him restrained by public relations."

Sakura wondered if she was going to be sick.

Shaking hands with this man was beyond hateful. He had left Itachi to die on an operating table. He lashed Sasuke like a dog. He brutally tortured both brothers for years. And now? She was supposed to make nice in the face of cameras.

How could she smile at his putrid figure and say she would be _happy_ for his help?

"Maybe we should get sunglasses."

Sakura shot Naruto a questioning look.

The blond grinned. "Well, I just think if Sakura wears sunglasses, it'll hide the hate burning up her eyes. The cameras definitely won't be able to miss that."

She jabbed him harshly in the side, despite cracking a smile. Leave it to him to make a joke right now. Then again, was it a joke? Sakura frowned. "Actually, I agree. I need sunglasses."

Itachi and Kakashi exchanged a brief look before nodding. "If asked, it would be believable that your eyes are swollen from crying over Sasuke's appearance," Kakashi stated not unkindly. His gaze lingered on her before seeming to resign himself to the situation. "You're brave for doing this, Sakura. Remember that."

 _There's nothing brave about this._ She bit back the urge to speak her thoughts. It was her who had gotten them into such a mess and she would do anything if it meant fixing things. However, what continued to bug her was the _why_.

Why was Orochimaru relinquishing control over his prized puppet? Why was he allowing any of this? What could he gain from the current situation? The most she could glean was that he would have a plausible alibi now for why he had Sasuke in his possession. It would do him no favors to be caught later down the line for having a supposed missing person under his care. However, the questions whirled uneasily in the pit of Sakura's stomach. It didn't feel right.

None of it.

XXX

News traveled around the world at lightning speed. The press conference saw Sakura graciously accepting Orochimaru's aid and also a brief statement of relief from Itachi about Sasuke being found. They made their intentions clear. Uchiha Sasuke would be returning to the family estate that afternoon.

Was this a dream?

Sakura could barely contain herself after hearing confirmation that Orochimaru's people would be delivering Sasuke as expected. It was unbelievable in the most dreadful of ways. All of it was happening too easily. In the best-case scenario, Sasuke would probably be strapped with bombs to take all of them out. At least then the misery of this nightmare would end.

In the worst case—Sakura couldn't even _fathom_ what the worst would be. Orochimaru was made of a special sort of cunning. He was sadism incarnate with barely an inkling of humanity.

For that reason, she couldn't calm down as the clock struck four in the afternoon and a call came through to Itachi. He murmured soft, curt answers before eyeing them all somberly. It was finally time. "They're waiting outside the main gates."

Sakura stood immediately, but Kakashi's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "It's probably best you wait here," he smiled behind his mask. "We don't know what the situation will be like. Since you're a non-combatant and a prized medic at that, we'd all be worried if things went sideways."

"I can…," she trailed off, shaking her head slightly. Brushing his hand off, she nodded slowly. "I understand. I'll be right here."

"Sakura-chan," Naruto gathered her in a strong hug, patting her back a few times with too much strength. "Don't worry. I'll have teme here in a flash and you can make gooey eyes at each other again."

She slapped his chest lightly, managing a small laugh. "Got it. Hurry up then."

Bright blues and pearly whites beamed at her. The blond saluted once before trotting after his superiors. Sakura watched them go, wondering how many times she would see their receding backsides. It had been her wish to improve in self-defense, but only so much progress could be made in practice. But high heavens _forbid_ that she attempt any real combat. Naruto had been adamant about helping her learn self-defense _only_ for emergency situations.

It was fine though, she assured herself. After all, she didn't have the time to master combat. She had more important things to hone. Green eyes flickered down to her hands. Like always, she couldn't see the chakra network like Itachi or Sasuke, but she could certainly feel its presence with absolute certainty. In fact, it was such an acute awareness that she almost feared it. It made her…hopeful.

Perhaps too hopeful. It made her ask questions about the limitations of human morality. How much could she heal someone with this knowledge and her abilities? Although she hadn't been able to practice on any humans aside from Sasuke (once, all those years ago), she had practiced enough on animals. Reviving fish was now child's play. Bringing mammals back from the brink of death was a bit more difficult, but wholly in the realm of possibility.

So…how far could the human life be extended with these abilities? Furthermore, it bore no risk for her own chakra levels. It seemed that human energy was replenishable—an endless source of power that could be harnessed to benefit humanity.

Or something.

These ideas were currently more terrifying than exhilarating. She knew firsthand what happened to people who tempted the limits of humanity. The last thing she wanted was to be the next Orochimaru. Or perhaps, another test subject in one of his labs.

Silence should've been the red flag.

If everything was going right, then Naruto's voice would've been booming from beyond the inner quarters and absolutely insufferable by the time they entered. That was why she should've been smarter and questioned the shudder-inducing quiet.

"SAKURA, RUN!"

The warning crackled the air. She whipped around in time to lock eyes with fierce red. A flashback to reuniting with Itachi flitted through her mind as a familiar hand clamped around her throat. It yanked her up with incredible force, her tip toes just barely brushing the wooden floor.

A choked gasp lodged itself in her windpipe, fingers uselessly clawing at his expensive suit jacket. Tears blurred her vision as the vice-like grip tightened swiftly.

Although in reality it couldn't have been more than a handful of seconds, the fear nearly killed her. Shouting voices followed a bright blonde head as it rammed directly into them. The force of his blow jarred the death grip and she kicked away, crashing to the floor. Mere inches away, the former best friends fought mercilessly, Naruto only gaining an advantage for a few seconds.

Sasuke backhanded him into the garden, slowly rising to his feet and reaching for Sakura once more. There was molten hatred rumbling in those blood red eyes, promising only painful things. Despite that—

The click of a gun stilled his movements.

Kakashi kept a steady finger off the trigger, but the warning was clear. His gaze was calm yet strained. "Step away from her."


	9. With Care

**A/N: Second update April 2, 2019**

* * *

It was almost more surprising when they found him unarmed. Given the intensity with which he went for Sakura's throat, they had assumed he would be given weapons as well. This should've been an obvious tactic. Itachi was almost ashamed that he hadn't figured out what Orochimaru planned when handing Sasuke over so easily.

In reality, he hadn't returned anyone they knew. This was a poor copy with the emotional and mental dexterity of a puppet. He moved and glared like a silent killer, but his words were garbled. There was a certain kind of hesitancy when he turned corners and a full body tension when entering a new room. Cautiously, they had shuffled him at gun point into the meeting hall usually locked away when not in use.

There was no way this conversation would continue in the open gardens of the inner quarters. Even if reporters didn't usually scale the walls to peek in, they might just try to, given the circumstances. Itachi also wasn't tempting fate by letting anyone see Kakashi threatening his younger brother with a firearm.

"Naruto. Restrain him."

The young man leapt to action, despite the queasiness in his expression. Already carrying rope, he came up behind Sasuke who growled low and menacing when the rope began winding around him. Naruto muttered half-hearted apologies but looked minutely relieved when his best friend was bound. Slowly, Kakashi lowered the gun, snapping the safety back into place. The two men hovered on either side of Sasuke though, ready to shove him down at a moment's notice.

He wasn't looking at either of them though. His gaze hadn't wavered once from her.

Sakura stood beside Itachi, unintentionally itching to reach past him. He had very purposefully shielded her since arriving on the chaotic scene. The wariness in his eyes only aged him more, speaking of concerns that they couldn't possibly fathom.

"Do you know who we are?" Itachi asked quietly, standing several feet back.

Sasuke stilled even more, if that were possible.

His lack of an answer was enough. Naruto was shaking with the need to blurt out his thoughts, but he refrained. Bright blue eyes bore into Sasuke who didn't so much as twitch.

"Understood," Itachi murmured. "And what is your mission?"

That cold glare intensified.

"Kakashi, go with her to another room," the director ordered softly. He gently nudged Sakura who had been locked in a staring contest with their prisoner. The young woman jumped slightly, glancing at him before reluctantly moving away.

As the pair began toward the sliding doors, Sasuke reacted.

Although looking down the barrel of a gun hadn't phase him, somehow, when they pushed her into a separate room, he was livid. A snarl tore from his throat and the ropes strained around him. Dark strands of hair whipped around his contorted face as he started toward them, looking for all the world like a caged beast rather than a man.

Naruto caught him in a head lock, shoving him to the ground with all his body weight. Tears were forming at the corners of his eyes as he shouted over Sasuke's murderous screams. They sent shivers racing down his spine, but he couldn't release his writhing best friend either.

When the door shut behind them, Sasuke's voice became nearly unbearable. There were tremors of pain laced through the anger. The vengeance. Naruto couldn't understand what was going through his friend's mind anymore. Maybe that was the problem.

Nothing was going on up there. It was empty.

Naruto whipped up to Itachi, pleading for help. The director silently shook his head. "Hold him steady," he mouthed, the words fading under the tormented weight of Sasuke's shrieks.

Approaching them very unwillingly, he knocked his little brother out cold.

XXX

Night fell rapidly. All of them had long since silenced their phones to avoid the media storm. Despite having many friends, including Ino, calling to check on them, they refused to answer. What could they even say at this point?

"He's back, but not really." After all, he was not that snarling monster with venom in his veins and a piercing bloodlust for his most important person. That much was obvious, and no amount of further violent outcries could convince any of them otherwise. Whoever Orochimaru had given them was no longer Uchiha Sasuke.

"It's not your fault."

Sakura barely registered the words. The others had vehemently argued against her watching over Sasuke's slumbering form, but she had firmly dismissed them. It was true that they all had some form of field medic training, but she was the only one who could accurately control the anesthesia being administered.

After all the trouble he had caused upon arriving, they had immediately prepared to place him in a comatose state until they could determine how to proceed. Sakura had spent enough time familiarizing herself with general safety protocols for anesthesia, but more so, she could cheat. Make it safer.

Whenever he began to stir awake, she simply sent pulses of chakra back into his network and relaxed him. In doing so, she had found more than a few disturbing characteristics to his body's energy flow. There were thick, almost scar-like concentrations in his joints—as if he hadn't properly rested in years.

It probably wasn't an exaggeration to think that was true.

"Everything is my fault," Sakura responded faintly, wanting to laugh at her own melodrama. The furrow in Sasuke's brows was sweet and nostalgic and she brushed light fingertips over it. Even in sleep, he couldn't calm down enough to make it fade. "I was a catalyst, Naruto. Don't you see that? We all need to take responsibility for the things we do, and I'm tired of people comforting me by stripping away my mistakes."

"Your heart was in the right place."

"The heart doesn't matter when the consequences look like this."

Naruto slumped down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Although Sakura had always been smaller than him, sometimes, he thought she had the broadest wingspan of them all. It could carry the burden of death and life. Risk and reward. Guilt and pleasure.

"You're a doctor," he spoke gently, resting his head against her hair. "Your job is to interfere in fate. People face you when they're at the brink of death and you tell death to fuck itself. Everything you do will have consequences and sometimes they'll be disastrous, but because all of us care about you, we don't want to see you shoulder that burden alone. You'll become permanently pissed off like teme."

She actually laughed at that, leaning into him. "He hasn't changed so much when you look at him right now," she whispered.

"Yeah," Naruto agreed firmly, squeezing her shoulder. "He'll be fine. We'll take it one day at a time. There's a way to fix this and Orochimaru was the dumbass who's underestimating you."

"It's the folly of someone at the top of their field," Sakura noted coldly, "they assume a creation is perfect because their ego says so. But this is far from it. It's deep conditioning. It's soldiering. Inside, he's still there. Somewhere. We just have to wake him up."

The doors slid open behind them. Kakashi silently entered, sitting down on the other side of Sasuke. Eyes scanned his former ward before lifting up. "How's he doing?"

There was a notable shift as Sakura straightened up and her voice took on a detached quality. "He's resting well, and his body is reacting positively to the nutritional supplements. It seems that he hasn't slept uninterrupted for a significant amount of time."

"Any troubling physical wounds?"

She pursed her lips. "There are some scars. Possibly enhancements, but I can't tell without doing a full physical and there isn't any equipment available here to do that. I'm more concerned about how to keep him calm enough for the psychological healing he needs. I can…," she trailed off, not wanting to explain the ridiculous energy network she could access. "There's a way to heal some of the mental trauma with medicine," Sakura hedged, "but the rest will have to come with time and reintegration."

"So like, I gotta make him my friend all over again?" Naruto whined.

"Yeah, something like that," she smiled, exasperated. She was quiet for a moment before adding in a much softer voice, "I think we all already know this, but it would be best if I don't appear in front of him anymore."

"At all?" Kakashi tilted his head, the question lacking judgment.

"Only when he's asleep like this," Sakura waved a bit, "will I come around to do his treatments. I've prepared some sleeping supplements for him. It's going to be a while before he's able to rest without the help of something."

They merely nodded in response, fully aware of how sideways everything could go.

"Trust us," Naruto patted her back, grinning wide. "Soon I'll have him making kissy faces at you all over again."

It felt like an empty promise, but nevertheless, she would take comfort where she could get it.


	10. Lost

**A/N: 3rd update on April 2, 2019**

* * *

The first few days were tense and volatile without a doubt. Sasuke was under hawk-like supervision and they had thoroughly convinced him that Sakura was being held somewhere else. That fact at first drove him into a rage. Then it quieted to something like scheming, but that didn't result in anything.

Orochimaru had created a puppet, not a free-thinking assassin. He had been stripped down to the bare essentials of efficiency. Orders were king and moving without them was as easy as running with his ankles tied. There was ingrained fear, they learned, whenever Sasuke was given something that required more thought than eating and drinking. He hesitated despite the chilly expression on his face, and even though he would never flinch, his eyes would twitch at sudden loud noises. Usually, those loud noises came from Naruto, which only made his reaction more curious.

It wasn't like an explosion or the crack of firearms. This was a kind of post-traumatic stress they didn't understand very well. Sasuke hadn't been scared in the slightest when Kakashi held him at gunpoint, but the shrill cries of another person could have him ready to bolt.

These ticks became more evident the longer Sasuke was forced to bear their company. Days turned to weeks, and eventually a month had passed by. He was nowhere near comfortable with them and continued to stalk away when they came too close. However, he no longer flew into a spitting fury over things – most certainly because he had resigned himself to believing Sakura really was nowhere within his grasp.

Kakashi had made the observation after two months.

"He won't get violent unless his target is in range."

It should've been obvious, but hearing it aloud was helpful. Sakura hovered over Sasuke that night, take careful measures in healing the burned chakra paths in his body. They were like micro-tears, making his body react in unpredictable ways. It must have felt like a deep ache in his bones this entire time – a constant stream of pain and instability.

"Me?" Sakura questioned, knowing full well the answer.

"Correct. But it goes for everything. The longer he's without someone issuing orders, the more withdrawn he becomes."

Naruto sighed, crossing his arms. "Honestly, it's hard to tell which is worse: making friends with a quiet teme or making friends with a snarling one. At least when he's angry, I can lure him into a spar. Now that he's getting more docile, it's like trying to get an old dog to do tricks. He just won't budge some days."

She cringed at the comparison. "It's that bad?"

"He's better this way, if compared to his arrival." Itachi joined them silently, dressed in his sleepwear. It was a rare occasion to see him in anything other than a suit these days. He was handling the police department operations once again, but also the media backlash from the standstill in research.

Orochimaru's unexpected move had everyone prying into the research's progress. It also didn't help that given Sasuke's sudden reappearance, they had been left at a stalemate over the research. Conversations were beginning to shift tides the longer Sakura refused to provide a report to the public. They were all demanding that such an inexperienced little girl should hand over the project to the far more established Orochimaru – especially in light of how he had been personally caring for one of the Uchiha brothers afflicted with their eye disease.

Given that Sasuke had apparently recovered from the disease under Orochimaru's care, they were curious as to why the entire project wasn't now under his control. The only thing staving off the pressure was Tsunade very firmly attributing the procedure's development to Sakura and that only _increased_ the questions.

How had Orochimaru obtained the procedural notes then? Of course, no other medical or research personnel had gotten a hold of the documents, so it was difficult to ascertain anything specific about the complexity of the disease and its cure. The only ones who could possibly answer them were Sakura and Orochimaru, yet neither had made official announcements.

Sakura knew for certain that if she spoke carelessly, her remaining rapport with the public would vanish. If Orochimaru spoke up, he too would be in a state of further crisis. Already, there were too many eyes on him and his facilities. They all wanted to know how he had come into contact with Sakura's work, but the more complex a lie gets, the harder it is to keep presentable.

Evidently, they were both stuck. But soon, someone had to give in.

"We have to act soon," Sakura remarked, slowly moving her hands off of Sasuke. He was breathing deeply and evenly, the dark circles nearly gone now from his eyes.

"We can't be rash though," Itachi replied carefully, gaze drifting over his little brother. "The public is certainly pressuring us, but what they are seeing is far from the whole story. First and foremost for us, this is a personal war. We are still in possession of the physical data and as it is a disease pertaining solely to the Uchiha bloodline, it is our choice for how it is dealt with."

"Yes, but if we stall too long, our reputations will be smeared alongside Orochimaru's," she argued.

He shook his head. "The key to all of this is in our hands. Orochimaru has already played his trump card and he believed it was brilliant."

"Sasuke."

Itachi smiled faintly. "Yes. He thinks Sasuke's been broken, but if we can get him to our side, then we can expose the facilities Orochimaru is most proud of. So long as Sasuke is unable to testify against Orochimaru, we have nothing tangible against him. There is a very public and blatant connection between the two. We merely need my little brother's guarantee of the truth to defame that man."

"We can't just snipe him in secret?" Naruto prompted.

Sakura smacked him on the arm. "Stupid. That's not how you handle things in the modern age. You can't just kill off people you don't like."

"I feel _way_ more than just 'dislike' toward that snake," he quipped, grimacing. "And anyway, all this scheming makes my head hurt. It's so complicated and it feels like we spend more time waiting than doing anything useful."

"You have the most important job though," Itachi reminded, mildly amused. "If you can't bring Sasuke around to our side, then this will go on until someone really does resort to assassination."

That was apparently just enough to shut him up.

XXX

Their first major breakthrough came a little over a week later. For appearances' sake, they let Naruto and Sasuke go out on the town together. It was barely leisurely though. Undercover officers tailed them, and they were a few safety cones away from basically having their outing quarantined.

He understood that it was necessary. He also knew that Sasuke was so listless that the whole endeavor didn't really bother him. If anything, Naruto was starting to think that he could probably shove Sasuke over and the man would go down without a fight.

Of course, he didn't do that. Too many people were watching them, snapping photos, and generally being nuisances from the safety of a few feet away. They had even ventured out early in the morning on a weekday to ensure fewer crowds, along with all the security personnel warding off people.

"Nothing's come back to you?" Naruto asked for what felt like the umpteenth time. He usually popped the question at the beginning, middle, and end of any interaction.

At the start, he would receive no answer or a biting glare.

Now, though, Sasuke at least would say, "No."

The conversation would be carried on by Naruto. He'd tell story after story about their childhood, none of which seemed to intrigue him. Itachi had strictly forbade him from sharing Sakura related stories though, so his well of embarrassing memories shrank. Most of the things he wanted to tease Sasuke about had to do with her.

"Have I told you about your first kiss?"

No response.

"It used to rile you up so bad when I talked about it. I'll just remind you again since clearly you've forgotten. It was elementary—"

Naruto slowed to a halt, turning around to see Sasuke had stopped several steps behind him. The sidewalk was mostly empty, and storefronts were only now lighting up their window displays. The blond crept up beside him, noting the somber expression on his friend's face. It was a bit different from the usual mask of indifference. This was less soulless. There was a hint of something simmering beneath the surface – something more than habituated fear.

Peering at the window display, Naruto took a moment to zero in on what had captured the other man's attention. Atop a delicate platform was a rose gold jewelry stand. A small label shined beneath, stating that they were the Spring Time Limited Edition Collection. Dangling off the stand were various bracelets in shades of pink. Cherry blossom petals carved from soft metal were fastened to the delicate chains.

It was an accident. He didn't mean to, but the words left him before he could stop. "She loves you. Always has."

And then Sasuke's fist was shattering the glass. Shards launched off in every direction as his fingers curled around the display. Naruto had ducked out of the way, shielding himself against the spray. When the glass settled, he yanked Sasuke harshly away from the scene, already calling Itachi to come and save their asses.

As the phone rang, Naruto turned a bewildered glare to the other man, ready to scream at him for being a lunatic, but the words died in his throat.

Cold tears drew tracks down his face as blood dripped from his shredded knuckles. His eyes were practically glowing red.

"Sasuke?" Naruto whispered hoarsely. The call connected and Itachi's voice filled his ear, but he ignored it.

"I lost it."

The words didn't ring any bells. Naruto stared in question, waiting for anything else. But across from him, Sasuke's expression was slowly shuttering. Lowering the phone, he gripped his friend's arm tighter. "Hey. What? What did you lose?"

He disregarded the growing crowd and police officers pushing back greedy onlookers. From his periphery, he could already see an officer heading inside the jewelry store to explain the situation – what they would say though, he had no idea.

Sasuke was silent.

"Something about her, right?" Naruto persisted, not about to give this up.

His lips thinned, tears dried now.

Their conversation died as two officers shuffled them into a waiting patrol car.


End file.
